Selling Congruence Means Success for solopreneurs. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a Solopreneur tell me they don’t want to be a pushy sales person, or that selling is not their thing.
Here’s the truth: If you are a Solopreneur or micro-business owner, you are responsible for making the sales in your organization. In most cases, people just aren’t going to be pounding down the door to throw money at you — and definitely not at first.
The only reason any of us are in business is to make money. Without sales, that just won’t happen.
So today, I would like to share with you another way to look at sales, to help you change your tune, so to speak. While the goal of the business is to make money, your purpose is to help your clients or customers solve a problem — in other words, to provide a service.
My definition of selling is helping my clients solve a problem. They are appreciative, so they pay me for my time. Making a sale includes the process of identifying and meeting the needs of my clients, and creating value in their eyes.
serv·ice
noun: service
-
the action of helping or doing work for someone.
When I set out to identify my clients’ needs, I begin with listening intently to what they are saying, and how they feel about their situation. This first step actually helps build rapport. Then, I go into interview mode and ask questions that help me pinpoint their needs and wants. Often these are wrapped up in my clients’ motives and emotions. During the interview process, I need to discover what those are.
Once I understand what my clients’ problems, wants, and needs are, I can determine the best way I can help them. I present my solutions and then validate my recommendations and myself. Validation means I must explain the benefits and end results. In other words, I explain, “What this means to you…”
In this case, I stop talking about features and start explaining the benefits of those features. I justify my price and explain the value. I offer proof and evidence, to show what have I done for other clients. Then I reassure my clients and reinforce the benefits to neutralize their fear of buying. (I am not pushing too hard or selling at this point — I am simply telling them how I can solve their problem.)
An important aspect of this is helping my clients understand that I value them. I want to leave the conversation with them feeling satisfied, even if we don’t agree to do business that day. The final step is asking them if they are ready to get started.
That’s often the toughest question for many Solopreneurs. If you believe you can help someone, you must ask them if they want to work with you. This comes back to believing in yourself and the value of what you are offering.
If you don’t believe in the service you are offering, if you don’t value your own abilities, if what you are doing is not congruent with your values, if you aren’t committed to the activities you must undertake, and you don’t have a belief in your ability to sell, then you are destined to fail. But if you can turn all of those into a YES, you will do well. That means believing that selling is really just offering to help.
So if you are just starting your business, or you are struggling with getting new clients, ask yourself where the disconnects are in your beliefs. Gaps in your convictions create conflict in yourself and ultimately disengagement. Congruence releases energy and a drive to achievement. You can do this.
“The ‘self-image’ is the key to human personality and human behavior. Change the self image and you change the personality and the behavior.” — Maxwell Maltz
Where are your challenges around selling?